Friday, March 21, 2014

One more for the week: Cloud Boat, Witching Waves, Firestations, Kim Deal

Cloud Boat - Carmine

The first new material from the duo since last year's Book Of Hours album is bolder than the misty wisps that enveloped much of that work, the beats more frontloaded and the synths more kaleidoscopic in approach as the lyrics explores the world of discovery and the fear of the unknown alike. An intriguing step in all ways.

Witching Waves - Concrete

Scuzzily primal duos that are in no way 'bluesy' can be quite a tricky thing to pull off and make sound separate from those around them. Witching Waves manage it by locating a stripped back essence of longing amid the fulsome snare bashing and distorto-riffage. Lovely clattering false ending too. Soft Power are putting this out on, being the modern retro way, cassingle on April 21st.

Do you remember American Analog Set? Their melding of chiming guitars and subtle electronics as equal partners is a good indication of what to expect from Firestations, who feature Quickspace alumni and here explore warm, laid back harmonic melodicism. It'd seem much better suited to the next season along, we'd be bound.

Kim Deal and Morgan Nagler - The Root

We've heard a couple of warped, minimalist Deal solo tracks in the last year or so and despite being a collaboration with Whispertown's Nagler this doesn't seem much different, a wire-thin but likeably twisted riff backing a chantable emotional wreck.